In article ,
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Roger Hayter wrote:
But they are not limited by alternator technology.

Exactly. The situation changed dramatically when alternators replaced
dynamos. After this the limitation was rather crude electo-mechanical
controls. Before that, everyone had a battery charger!

The peak output of a dynamo on the average car fitted with one was under
30 amps - 24 being a common size. Plenty 50s cars didn't have enough
output to drive all the electrical bits then - let alone what we are used
to now.

I fitted an alternator to my Anglia - in which I took part in motor rallies
The extra load on the driving belt broke the pressed metal take off pulley.
Luckily Ford made a competition version which was a casting.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle